Ministry of Commerce & Technology

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Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell delivering his address at the official launching of MiPhone services to Montego Bay at the Wyndham Resort Hotel.

The city of Montego Bay and environs have received new cellular service from the New York based, Oceanic Digital Communications' MiPhone.The company has to date invested more than US$120 million in Jamaica, delivering service to some 70,000 customers in other sections of the island.

This new service to the second city was launched at the Wyndham Rose Hall Hotel in Montego Bay, yesterday (May 10) by Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell.

MiPhone's main objective is to establish itself as the premier Jamaican wireless voice and data provider with the best customer care, the most advanced features and services, and the highest quality network. It also plans to provide high quality voice signals and high-speed internet access.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister Paulwell said that Oceanic Digital was representative of the tremendous growth that had taken place in the Jamaican Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector in recent years.

"Today, Oceanic Digital is visibly one of the most dynamic players in our liberalized telecommunications industry, an industry where we have already issued more than 353 telecommunication licences and has attracted investment of over US$600 million in a relatively brief period of time," he said.

"Developments such as these are certainly very encouraging and I am convinced that our policy objectives are being fulfilled when I see the high quality services being made available by a range of telecommunication providers," the Minister added.
Mr. Paulwell pointed out that government would seek to continue ensuring that there was a legal and regulatory environment that was responsive, accountable and socially sensitive to the needs of the public, to emerging technologies and also to the investors.

"I believe that there is something to be gained by all the players in the ICT sector, but it is left to how and when they decide to really take advantage of the many opportunities that still exist. This move by MiPhone will not only increase your subscriber base, but will at the same time, enhance your capacity to offer a wider range of products and services for consumers in Montego Bay and its environs," the Minister said.

"Let me congratulate Oceanic Digital on this launch and for your continued endorsement of Jamaica as a viable location for investment," Mr. Paulwell added.

In his address, former American Ambassador to Jamaica, Andrew Young, said that the cellular phone was the single most instrumental technology of the 21st Century that would give countries a chance to make their economies work.

"This is a technology that I think is driving not only the expectations of people, but it is actually going to drive the market," he argued.

Mr. Young said that the technology available to Jamaica today would provide access to all the world, to "receive ideas and also to share ideas and to generate a new wealth and a new economy that might yet fulfill the promise of the 21st Century".

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